End of a Dream
by shansgrl
Summary: Clark watches his childhood dream end. Clark angst, some Chlark at the end if you really look for it.


Title: End of a Dream

Author: Shansgrl

Spoilers: "Promise" Most of season 6

Characters: Clark, Lana, Chloe

Rating: K

Summary: Clark watches his childhood dream end……

Clark stood in the hallway of the church listening to the organ playing the wedding march. The song that would mean that Lana Lang, his first love, was about to be married to another man. Clark couldn't bear to watch, which is why he was in the hallway, emotions swirling inside.

Lana had left the farm no less than forty five minutes ago, which had made her late for own wedding. She had come to him, in her wedding gown, to beg Clark one last time to confide in her.

"I still love you Clark. We can be together, there is still time for me to call off the wedding, but only if you can trust me and tell me what your secret is."

She had looked beautiful in her white gown, almost ethereal, and so innocent. It was a perfect guise to tempt him into revealing his secret to her. He had no idea if she was being truthful, which had always been so important to her and a trait she demanded from those around her, or being deceitful. He remembered the words that Lionel had said to him a few days before.

Lionel had stopped by the farm to see Martha. He had pulled Clark aside and warned him that Lana may come to him.

"Clark, I know that the wedding may be difficult for you, but I'm afraid I need to tell you something that may be hard for you. Now, what I'm about to tell you is just a theory, but I know my son, Clark, so I think that this bears listening to. I will not tell you how I know these things, there is only so much dirty laundry I'm willing to air.

This marriage between Miss Lang and my son may be one of convenience, rather than one that is based on love. Lex does not know that I am aware of Miss Lang's pregnancy, but I feel that this is only a part of the reason that they are getting married. I see by the look on your face, you are also aware of this pregnancy. Lex has always been competitive, and like his father, hates to lose. That coupled with the fact that he has developed this unnatural obsession with meteor infected people, which he thinks also includes you, has led him to this marriage. I do not know if Lex has feelings for Miss Lang, she is a beautiful young woman, but he knows that you do Clark and is willing to use that to get to you. I believe that she just may be a means to an end.

I have no doubt that Miss Lang is working with Lex to confirm if you are a meteor infected or not. She is not the innocent young lady that everyone seems to think. People who align themselves closely to Lex, as she has, tend to lose their moral values very quickly. Clark, I feel that I need to warn you that she may approach you before the wedding, to try and find out the truth about you. You must not tell her anything Clark, absolutely nothing. You're very life may depend on this."

Clark remembered these words, standing there looking at the woman who at one time, he believed was everything to him. He wanted to believe that she was offering him the dream he always wanted, a life with her without all the secrets he had to keep. He found himself opening his mouth to tell her everything, to save her from marrying Lex, to finally have what _he_ wanted.

But when he spoke, the words were not what he intended to say.

"I'm sorry Lana, I have nothing to tell you."

He watched the emotions that swam in her eyes. Fury, hurt, and then finally the glacier stare. The fury gave him pause, but when her eyes went as cold as ice, he knew that Lionel was right, Lana was working with Lex and he had taught her well.

She said nothing else, just turned and got back into her limo and drove off.

He sped into the house, showered and put on his suit. He decided to go to the wedding, maybe Chloe was right. It would prove that he had let go of Lana. Even if had not done so before today. He waited about fifteen minutes after he was dressed before he sped to the church.

So there he stood in the hallway of the church listening to the music as Lana walked down the aisle. Too afraid, too weak to walk in and sit in one of the pews and watch her get married he thought. But because he always seemed to torture himself, he peeked around the corner to look.

He saw Lana and Lex, facing each other saying their vows. He expected hurt, but not because he was losing Lana. He wasn't sure he ever really had her, or even really knew her. He hurt because he knew she was making a mistake, and because he knew she would have betrayed him. He ducked back behind the corner into the hallway.

Sadness came on the heels of anger with the thought of Lana betraying him. Lex as well for that matter. They both had been such an important part of his life, his dream and his best friend. It seemed that he was destined to be alone.

He heard the minister pronounce them as "Mr. and Mrs. Lex Luthor" and peeked around the corner again. He focused on their faces, both of them smiling and gazing at each other. A movement just to Lana's right caught his eye. It was Chloe adjusting Lana's train.

Chloe, who looked beautiful in her lavender gown and her golden hair piled up on her head. She looked up then, straight at him as if she had known he was there.

"Hi." He heard her whisper so no one would hear. He smiled at her.

"I'll be done in five minutes…wait there okay?"

Everything faded away for a few seconds. Their eyes locked onto each other, and he didn't realize that he had moved out from the hallway and sat down into a pew. He nodded.

She gave him one of her dazzling smiles and walked out behind Lex and Lana.

People were filing out of the church. Then all of a sudden, Chloe was there with her hand on his shoulder.

"You made it."

"Yeah. I…it's, I mean." Clark stopped and took a breath. "She's gone, and I'm okay with it." He looked up at Chloe.

She sat down and took his hand. "Are you sure Clark? You told me just a few weeks ago you still loved her."

He looked down at their hand entwined and felt comforted. He looked back up at Chloe. "I'll always love Lana. She was my first love, my dream, but there was never any future for us. I realized that today when she came out to the farm to try and convince me to give her the truth." He gave out a short bitter laugh. "She told me she was still in love with me. But when I wouldn't tell her, she changed. I knew then, she never would have been able to handle my secret, let alone keep it."

Chloe squeezed his hand. "I'm so sorry Clark. You'll find someone, someday who will be all that you need and all you deserve."

Clark smiled. "Don't you have to take pictures or something?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "They took a ton before the wedding, but I do have to get to the mansion for the reception." She gave him a small smile. "Are you coming to the reception?"

"I don't know Chloe, it might be awkward."

"Tell me about it. I'm sitting next to Lionel. C'mon, be a boy scout and come for me. Please? We can be awkward together." She gave him her best puppy eye look.

Clark laughed. "Okay, but you had better save a dance for me."

Chloe stood up when she heard Nell call her name. "You can have all the dances you want. As long as you don't step on my feet farm boy and that you don't go running off to save some damsel in distress." She gave his hand one last squeeze and walked away.

He was still smiling as he watched her leave. Part of becoming an adult was having childhood dreams change and evolve.

Maybe his dream was just beginning.

_fin_


End file.
